PL/ APL Camp 6-8th October. |
Friday night was the usual cold and blustery one that we in Marple have become accustomed to, but we were hoping for better weather when we set off to the lakes. The regular pitch at Rydal Hall private Camp-site had been booked and, after a quick "pit-stop" at the services (for the scouts to stock up on sweets) and picking up Andy "Ginger" Togs, we arrived. The weather was reasonable, but the scouts had the dark to contend with. A late night on Friday for both the Scouts and the leaders meant that the early morning call of 8 o clock was, for some, horribly close at the time of going to bed. Saturday started with rain. The scouts cooked (sort of!) on Camping stoves, with the more sensible ones sheltering from the rain under the trees. Pie cooked the leaders "All Day Breakfast" in the middle of the field. A short journey took us to Langdale, or thereabouts. The troop, following Scout POR, were split into three. The walks were all reasonably uneventful, but the chatter was always halted by Bozzie's "Yogeling" (Yodelling). A lunch stop on top of Harrison Sickle was meant to be a picturesque affair, but this was spoilt by the fact that visibility was down to 15metres, and that it was still raining. The Scotch eggs were also put in the wrong bag (carried by the last group) , much to the disgust of the leading group of Andy Togs et al. The groups stuck to the path down to the minibus with varying degrees of success. The middle group (Pie's with help (?) from Adi Togs) soon got lost, as the path disappeared in front of them, but eventually found their way back to the bus, regaining the path a few hundred metres later. When all three groups had arrived we all got ready in the minibus, for the usual smooth driving of Pie's, when it wouldn't start. A quick push and some skillful manouvering by Andy Spreck meant that the minibus soon had a pair of jump leads attatched, and was raring to go. It was still raining when we all arrived back at the camp-site at around 5. The scouts were given no strict orders other than to try to keep the tents dry, and to have dinner before it got dark. Ducky and Thorpey soon found out about their waterlogged tent, and were just able to salvage their sleeping bags, luckily for them. Dinner was had by all, with some choosing to create Cordon bleu Sweet and Sour main courses that longed to be accompanied by a strong cabernet sauvignon, and others going for the easier option of Super Noodles. At 8 o clock in the evening, the scouts had become bored with their tents, and were all willing to go home. They had to settle for a drive in the minibus to get chips in Ambleside. Back at the camp-site, the rain was still going, but it wasn't going to stop the traditional gift from the Scout group to the Camp-warden. The present was gratefully received. Another late, wet, and cold night was soon out of the way, with everybody willing the sun to come along, after an amazing 24 hours of solid rain. Sunday began brightly,with the sun shining. However, it wasn't long before we were all lulled into a false sense of security and drenched by the now showery rain. The troop spent the morning generally mooching around. Some chose to run down by the river, whilst the lazier of the scouts slept in until 9:30. By 11 all was ship-shape, and we set off for a stroll around Rydal Waters. This was just a gentle stroll, where we investigated Rydal cave, a beauty-spot in the middle of the lakes. The caves had a strange echo - one that sounded very much like Daniel Fidler in fact. On the way out of the caves some crazy fool started a "Jumping over a two metre stretch of water" competition, and all but the flukiest of Scouts got their feet wet! Finally our trek was over as we trundled back past William Wordsworths house to our camp-site. The rain had stopped so far that morning, waiting for it's cue, which turned out to be just when the leaders had finished packing their kit into the car. Needless to say the organised Leaders were warm and dry in the minibus, and the Scouts were busy packing their kit away whilst the rain pelted down at it's hardest for the weekend. Eventually we were all packed, although some of the Scouts found that for some reason their kit had to go back in three times as many bags as it came in - does their kit grow over the weekend? A brisk stop in Ambleside for yet more chips, and to say goodbye to the owner for another year, and we were in the mini-bus on the way back to baths, beds, and for the less fortunate, Katy Brown! Each Scout was dropped off individually. Luckily they all remembered to thank the Leaders for a wonderful weekend, otherwise scraping the Scouts' chewing gum and sweets from the mini-bus seats would have been ever so slightly less bearable. A good fun weekend, and we can't wait till next year! |
RICHARD THORPE AND ANDY SPRECK - Why not e-mail us your version of events, and let the parents know what their son is really like on camp? Our e-mail address is Marplescouts@Yahoo.com |